Mary Julia Koch

Writing and editing for @WSJFreeEx @WSJopinion

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

Democratic candidates are trying to develop “rizz.” It's coming off as cringe.

Besides, having good looks shouldn't be the test of a good lawmaker. Back on @BottomLineFBN:

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

Read today's @WSJFreeEx
https://t.co/Wunns1DxJ1

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

The anxious generation is finding its liquid courage. The share of Gen Zers who say they drink alcohol ticked up to 74% in March 2026 as more reached legal drinking age, according to a new IWSR consumer report.

While boomers prefer drinking at dinner or alone to relax, Gen Z is more likely to drink in social settings—complicating its previously well-established reputation for party-pooping.

This cohort enjoys flavorful cocktails and premixed alcoholic beverages (and probably wine as they get older).

As @racheljanfaza writes, “Maybe we’re just late bloomers after all.”

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

For a deeper dive into the data, read my full piece: https://t.co/fPWU4yquw8

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

Why are young men ditching the workforce—and is there any way to bring them back into it? @WSJFreeEx:

[The Bottom Line @BottomLineFBN]

FLIRTING & FLEXING: Male Democratic candidates are leaning into “thirst traps” to attract young Americans… in more ways than one. @elizabethpipko & @MJ_Koch react with @dagenmcdowell & @BrianBrenberg

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

Read today's @WSJFreeEx
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[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

Turns out beefing up on burgers might not be so bad for you.

A study from the journal Nutrients of 23 men who ate 5 burgers per week for five weeks challenges prior scientific research. It found that high-fat ground beef led to lower blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol and, potentially, a lower risk of heart disease.

Crucially, the men ate plain ground-beef patties, not premade store-bought ones, which often have added sodium and saturated fat, or fast-food burgers with their white buns, processed cheese and commercial condiments. Sounds like an invite to take out the grill and throw a summer barbecue.

[The Wall Street Journal @WSJ]

From @WSJFreeEx via @WSJOpinion: The intellectual glow-up of the college kid can be charming. It can also be frightening. A little education is a dangerous thing, writes @MattHennessey.
https://t.co/sngDtENBQK

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

Read today's @WSJFreeEx
https://t.co/hYfCYj3Tu8

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

Imagine waiting no more than 30 seconds for a cup of joe at your local coffee shop. That dream is now a reality in Beijing, where a 24-hour coffee shop run entirely by one robot opened Sunday.

It has already set a Guinness World Record for the most cups of coffee served per hour at a robot-operated store: 202.

Even a highly skilled human barista churning out lattes in the morning rush can’t beat that speed.

But will a robot say “Good morning,” or remember your name, or foam the milk into a little swirl? You’d be better off buying your own espresso machine.

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

Why are young men abandoning the workforce in record numbers?

Joined @Varneyco to discuss my latest reporting on the cultural and economic shifts pushing many Gen Zers out of the labor market.

[Varney & Co. @Varneyco]

🏠Moving back home to save money... then spending that extra cash on travel, shopping and experiences. Is Gen Z redefining what "financial independence" really means? Mary Julia Koch (@MJ_Koch) shares her take.

[Free Expression @WSJFreeEx]

Just as AI-generated political campaign videos prove their potency online, some are trying to press pause, writes @MJ_Koch.

Read more: https://t.co/qxwt7egQFK

[Rob Henderson @robkhenderson]

"American women now hold 176,000 more payroll jobs than American men...Compare it to the 1990s, when men held nearly 7 million more jobs than women...men have been leaving the labor market in droves." https://t.co/cArNY7nYHS

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

Read in today's @WSJFreeEx:
https://t.co/ffSIgv6BxI

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

What’s the over/under on a 401(k)? Ask the 52% of Gen Z investors who redirected funds meant for investing into sports betting in the past year. 26% of Gen Zers see this as a long-term financial strategy.

The addiction is undeniable: Betting apps are more fun to use than investing apps, and the instant results of win-or-lose bets offer a powerful dopamine rush.

Yet wagering on the outcome of a hockey game or whether a quarterback throws more than 2½ touchdowns isn’t the same as thoughtfully planning a retirement strategy.

As Sarah Levy, CEO of Betterment, said in a statement, “These products are designed to keep people seeking the next quick score, not to help them build toward the next decade.”

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

Read my full piece in @WSJFreeEx:
https://t.co/zJxGNYnxYt

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

American women now hold more payroll jobs than American men.

It's not that women took men's jobs—it's that men are opting out of the market.

Fewer are finishing college or looking for work; more are living with parents, gaming and being "stay-at-home boyfriends." @WSJFreeEx:

[Mary Julia Koch @MJ_Koch]

There's also a male pessimism crisis. The relatively low male unemployment rate doesn’t include the men who aren’t even looking for work, which has reached a nearly 20-year high. Many feel “benched” from the job market, as author @RichardvReeves describes it.